Dry-pipe valve.



G. I. ROUKWOOD.

DRY PLPBVALVE. APPLICATION FILED DEG.7,19OG.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909v 2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

Inveflior W Ltnesss George I. Ros End ,Q

MAM

G. I. ROGKWOOD.

DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 7,1906- 929,710. Patented Aug. 3, 1 909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET. z.

Wii messes l 5 DHHWQ I 9 Rckmod. By 4 c 2 .is a top :vertieal sectional.tion of the arrow sure in the rests in the construction and parts-ashereinafter described and pointed 'supply .under pressure,

tween the pipes 1- and 2 with by flanged connections 3 .other suitablemeans, is a shell Specification. of 'Letterslatent Patented Aug.

Application filed-December *5, race. fierialfllohaefififit.

"To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen'lfioonwoon, a citizenot the United States,residing at Worcester, lll'illle county-of Worcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have in: vented :a :new sand useful improvement inDry-Pipe =Valves, 'of which the following is a specification,accompanied by drawings forming a part ofthe sa1ne,.in Which- :Figure lreprespnts aside elevation of my improved d .y-i pipe valve shown incentral vertical sectional view withv the valve closed.

' view shown in horizontal-secon linei22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view onthe plane of the broken line 3-3,iFig. 1, looking in the direca, butshowing the valve in ltSa raised position.

-Similar reference figures refer to similar parts in thedifierent-views.

The object of'my present invention is to provide an improved dry pipevalve adapted or usein ia-systein of automatic sprinklers, said valvebeing inserted in the water supply pipe to the sprinkler system, bywhich the pressure of-Water is resisted b I an air prespipe hetvveen thedry pipe valve the. sprinklers, and my invention conarrangement of.tlonal view and out in the annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings 1 denotes a pipe leading from asource of water and 2 a pi eleadnig to a series of automatic sprinklers.Be-

and connected there and 4, or by 5 forming the The case of myiinproveddrypipe valve.

, valve case contains a circular valve plate 6 to which is attached aplate or arm 7 pivoted at 8. The valve case is-providedwith en annularvalve seat 9 of the same diameter as the water supp] pipe 1 adapted toreceive a depending va ve 10 on the under side of the valve plate 6,forming a Water valve closing the water supply ipe. The valve plate 6also, carries at its ed ge a flexible ring 1]. fOl11'1- in% an air valve-contacting with an annular va veseat 12 conpentriewith the valve seat 9but of larger diameter. When the valves 10 and 11 are closed, in theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the valve chamber and also the i thesupply a and rock it lifted position independently of waterstanding theWater pressure in the pipe It against the under side el -the.valveplate, The dilierence in diameter"between the valve 'lland theWater valve 16 cnablesia given air pressure. to-Witlistand IF greaterWater p1'essu1e,.-as the area of the ve e plate .in contact with thecompressed air is than the area ofthe valve plate in chntact with waterunder pressure in the pipe 1. this means the'ilovv(if-Waterisrrestricted to the pi e 1 and is I 'througi the valve memberinto the-supply pipe 2 leading to the sprinklers. :The danger offreezingis'therefore obviated when the supply pipe and sprinklers areplaced inan ex osed .os1tion.,.

he va ve-plate 6 is"provid ed with an arm 13 upon the end of which ismounted coon-- terweight 14. In-the closed positionof the valves 10 and11 the counterweight l4 fails to exert any force to rock the valve plateon itspivot 8 asthe center of gravity ofithe counterweight I4 isarranged in substantially vertical planeabove the-pivot, but if for anyreason the air pressure in the valve case should be destroyed, thepressure of Water in pipe 1 will hit the valve plate 6 into positionshown by the broken lines 15, carrying the counterweight it into theposition denotedby the broken l6. During this swinging lnovement oi thevalve plate 6 the counterweight l4 exerts a constantly increasinglorceswhich soon becomes suilicient to raise the valve plate into its ofthe pressure beneath it. valve case 5 through-Which the valve platetravels in its rocking IHOVQIIIBIItlJGtWBBH its. closed and-its wideopenposition presents a circular inner wall upon any given medialsection which passes through the axis ottl ie hinged valve plate 6, endthe diameter of this cireular inner wall is preferably equal to theouter diameter of the flexible valve ring 11, therefore as the valverises, the pe riphery oi-the flexible ring ll is in contact with theinner wall of the valve case, so that the entire pressure of the watersupply through the pipe 1 is ap I h plate 6 until its edge reaches theopening l! communicating with the sprinkler supply pipe 2. I At thispoint in the upward;move-- ment of the valve platethe counterweight i=1-exerts sufficient iorceto continue the reels ing movement of the valveplate and can it died to lift the valve prevented from flowing c "Thatsection. of the swings is extended downward at 24 to lines,15. The valveseats 9 and 12 are both contained in a single casting 18 interposedbetween the Water supply pipe 1 and the valve case 5, and attached tothe latter by -means of bolts 19 and nuts20. By removbya plate 27 forthe removal of any sedime'nt which may accumulate. The case f is alsoprovided with a manhole 28 covered by a plate 29'through which thecounterweight 14 maybe removed.

I deem it preferable to have the edge of the flexible valve ring 11contact lightly'with the inner wall of that portion of the valve case 5through which the valve ring'moves as the valve passes from a closed toan open position; but I do not confine myself to such a construction.

I claim,

1. A dry pipe valve, comprising a casing having valve seats, a valveplate capable of a rocking movement, valves on said valve plate fittingsaid valve seats and arranged to open by the rocking movement of saidvalve p ate, and means for exerting a constantly increasing independentforce to rock ,said plate durin its movement to open position,saidineans ecoming effective only after said plate has begun its rockingmovement.

2. In a dry pipp valve, the combination with a case having valve seats,valves fitting said valve seats and arranged to be held thereon orlifted by variations in the relative pressure on either side of saidvalves, a pivoted valve plate carrying said valves, and a counterweightfor said plate so arranged in a position above the pivotpf said platethat the force of said counterweight to rock said plate becomeseffective only after the rockmg movement is begun.

a. In a 'dry ipe valve, the combination with a case having a rockingvalve plate car-.

rying valves, valve seats on said case for receiving said valves, saidvalve plate arran ed' to be .held with. said valves oil said va ve seatsor lifted by variations in the relative pressureon either side of'saidvalves, and independent means so arranged as tobecome effective forrocking said valve plate only after said plate has been lifted to beginits rocking movement.

4'. In a sprinkler system, a dry pipe valve,

comprising a shell or case communicating with said system and having anopening for the admission of water under pressure, a valve for closingsaid opening, a second valve said case for the admission of water undervpressure, a second opening communlcatlng with a sprinkler system, arocking valve plate carrying a valve for closing said first opening, anda second valve in contact with the inner circular Wall of said case,independent means for rocking said valve plate, arran ed to be operatedby the opening of.

said first valve and arranged to rock said valve plate out of thepassage through said case-between sald first and second 0 'ienings aftercommunication has been est: )lished between them.

' 6. In a dry pipevalve, the combination with a rocking valve plateprovided with a valve for resisting aswater pressure, a flexible valveon the edge of said valve late, and

a shell or case having its inner wal arranged to form .a valve seat forthe outer edge of said flexible valve to revent the passage of water incase of the imited or accidental lifting of said valve plate.

GEORGE I. ROCKWOOD. Witnesses:

PENELOPE COMBERBAGH, RUFUS B. FOWLER.

